Members

• Cllr Chan Mistry (L)
• Cllr Martin Horwood* (L)
• Cllr Phil Bennett (WH)
• Mr Brian Kiely (resident member)
• Mr Peter Frings (monitors the diffusion tubes and provides monthly data report and the annual report)

* Also a Borough Councillor

Please see the approved Parish Council Biodiversity Policy here

The action plan in the policy will change as needed and will be monitored

The Leckhampton with Warden Hill Environment Working Group was reformed as an active group in the last year with a view to ensuring that all those who live and work in the Parish – including the Parish Council – play their part in protecting the planet for us and future generations. We now want to set our priorities and, with this in mind, would like your feedback as to what is most important and most urgent to you – understanding that time and resources are finite and we cannot do everything. Please therefore take a few minutes to complete the survey we have put on the Cheltenham Borough council 'Have Your Say' system. Please use the link below to access it.

It opens on Monday 19th February and closes on 22nd March

Please use the link below to access and thank you for taking part

https://haveyoursay.cheltenham.gov.uk/parish/lwwh-environment

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

Reduce – reuse – recycle. It sounds so simple, doesn't it. The magic formula to help everyone reduce their carbon footprint. But it takes a little effort and we know that's not always easy. So we've put together a short guide to help you make your own impact on the environment in the Parish. The great news is that it will not only help protect the planet but will also save you money.

Reduce

Get on your bike, walk or take public transport. And, if you do have to drive, follow tips to drive more efficiently.

Insulate your home

Try turning down your heating by 1 degree for a few days and see if you notice. Of course, you still need to stay warm but if you don't notice, leaving it that way will reduce carbon emissions and could reduce your bill by as much as 10%. Hints to turn down your heating

Use low energy lighting. According to Green Match, energy-saving light bulbs last up to 12 times as long as traditional bulbs, providing the same amount of light quality for much less energy. 80% of the energy used to power traditional bulbs is lost in heating energy, whereas LED light bulbs only 10-20% is lost in this way.

Before buying home appliances, take a look at the energy labels and go for the best rating which means the appliance is not only more environmentally friendly but also cheaper to use.

Waste less food. One third of all food produced globally is wasted! There are some handy tips to avoid waste here . The link will also help you know what you can, and cannot, put in your weekly food caddy in Cheltenham, as well as tips on home composting.

Use sustainable businesses whenever you can. Its always a great idea to ask shops, trades people and service providers how they are making themselves more sustainable. The more people ask and the more people turn towards sustainable suppliers first, the more suppliers will respond to demand.

You can also ensure your gas and electricity providers are providing renewable energy. Switching supplier is simple and doesn't require changing anything in your home. You should review your supplier regularly anyway to ensure you have the best tariff so why not also look at their green credentials. Money Supermarket has a handy guide here.

Have your boiler serviced. An energy-efficient boiler will save you £££s as well as help the environment. Modern boilers are becoming more and more efficient and heat pumps will only get cheaper (especially with heavy subsidies). Using electricity is better than gas as we can decarbonise the former but not the latter. Most big energy providers will provide advice and quotes. Make sure you use Green suppliers,

If you're not ready to replace a boiler, next best thing is to ensure you're not wasting energy needlessly. You can contact your local gas registered technician (formerly CORGI) to start.

Unplug stand-by appliances. When you go on holiday, unplug electrical items where they are not required. On average, each household uses some £50 to £80 a year running appliances on standby.

National Grib when to pug in carbon intensity PP

WhenToPlugIn App | National Grid Group

What is the WhenToPlugIn app?

The National Grid WhenToPlugIn app is a handy tool for your mobile phone that helps you make smarter energy choices at home. It's powered by carbonintensity.org.uk, the same carbon intensity forecasting tool built by National Grid ESO, The Environmental Defense Fund Europe, The University of Oxford and WWF that powers the Green Light Signal.

The WhenToPlugIn app shows you the live carbon intensity forecast and lets you know when the electricity in your home will be cleanest over the next 48 hours to help you plan your electricity usage. The app also offers a full breakdown of the energy sources powering the electricity in your region and provides live updates as new clean energy records are broken too!

Recycle

Council run recycling sites Don't forget that Cheltenham and Gloucestershire provide free recycling facilities at either their Swindon Road site or Wingmoor Farm Stoke Orchard near Bishops Cleeve. And did you know they accept, among other things, clothes, shoes, textiles, cartons, small and large appliances (including fridges and freezers), mattresses, used engine oil, video cassettes and DVDs, green waste, batteries, lightbulbs, waste cooking oil, wood, metal and hard plastic as well as the other recyclables also collected from the doorstep

We're lucky to also have a good kerbside collection service too and you can find out more information here, including a list of what can be collected (eg. Coffee pods, foil and Christmas trees)

As a last resort, if you cannot use either of the above, there is a paid collection service available.

Batteries and small electrical items can be recycled at many supermarkets or DIY superstores. You can find more information here on where to find your nearest store.

Many supermarkets such as Morrisons, Tesco and Waitrose will also take soft plastics (bags, wrapping etc.) which are normally not collected by Cheltenham Council kerbside recycling.

There are numerous charities who will gladly accept items in working /good condition. Just pop into their shops in most high streets. But do remember they can only accept items they can resell. Please don't use them as a dumping ground or leave bags on their doorsteps.

Of course, you can always sell items you don't want. It quickly adds up to a tidy amount and avoids waste. There are myriad sites you'll already know offering online marketplaces to connect sellers and buyers. If you prefer to give away items, try Freecycle. This is a free service and you'll be amazed at what is offered on the site - one person's waste… as they say.

Old bikes can be given away to the Cyclists For Cancer Charity Bike Shop in the Mead Road Industrial Estate in Leckhampton. The charity fixes donated bikes to raise money for children with Cancer.

IT and computer equipment is usually welcomed by local charity the ITSA Digital Trust who refurbish old computers to donate to schools. They are based in Mead Road, Leckhampton.

For furniture recycling, look no further than Reclaim who collect for free in Cheltenham

Finally, for anything else, try looking at the Recycle Now Website or Gloucestershire's Waste Wizard. Both offer a handy tool to help you find the best way to recycle specific items.

Reuse

Rather than throw broken things away, consider getting them fixed. Vision 21 run a monthly repair café where you can take items to be fixed by volunteers. Better still, you can watch and learn too.

Compostable waste. Cheltenham Council provide a free weekly kerbside collection service for food waste. If you don't already have the handy small green bins, you can find out more here. But many food items such as fruit and vegetables, tea bags, coffee grounds etc. can be added to your home compost along with garden waste and grass cuttings. You'll not only reduce carbon emissions but also create your own nutrient for your garden. Click here to find out more about home composting.

Fast fashion should not mean fast use. Increasingly, people buy new clothes for low prices and throw them away after just a few uses. According to Ethical Consumer, fast fashion comes with a heavy environmental price. For example, the industry uses 93 billion litres of water and is responsible for around 20% of industrial water pollution. So try and reuse clothes more, wash them less or on a lower heat and, finally, once you're done with them, donate to charity or sell them online.

No Mow

In 2024, the Parish Council Climate and Environment Working Group (CEWG) plans to expand on the wild flower planting we did on the Shurdington Rd last year. The poppies and the other wild flowers we planted have reseeded and are looking glorious.

The other areas we are planting with the help of GCC and CBC are at 2 arears off Leckhampton Road, another area off Shurdington Road and one in Warden ill If you are interested in joining the planting or hearing more about what we do, simply subscribe to our newsletter.

Learn more about bees

The Parish Council supports the Borough Council's commitment for Cheltenham to be net zero carbon by 2030. Our Environment Working Group (list of members) has three areas of focus: community energy, sustainable transport, and treeplanting/biodiversity. There are some initiatives underway but we want to hear your ideas.